


Decon

by Vorta_Scholar



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Cute, Decon, Decontamination, Family, Humor, Trektober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 07:41:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27130072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vorta_Scholar/pseuds/Vorta_Scholar
Summary: While the station's decontamination field is out, all returning residents are required to undergo decontamination treatments in 22nd century-style decontamination chambers. Quark, Rom, Leeta, and Nog, having just returned from a trip to Ferenginar, reluctantly agree to spend 4 hours in one of these chambers.
Relationships: Leeta & Nog (Star Trek), Leeta/Rom (Star Trek), Nog & Quark (Star Trek), Nog & Rom (Star Trek), Quark & Leeta, Quark & Rom (Star Trek)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	Decon

**Author's Note:**

> For Trektober 2020, Day 20
> 
> Prompt: Decontamination

“Is this really necessary?” Quark asked.

“It’s just a precautionary measure, Quark,” Julian said as he dropped the tub of gel into the dropbox door and closed it. “The station’s decontamination field is down, and anyone coming back aboard has to go through this.”

Quark sighed, snatching the gel and going over to the bench where Rom, Nog, and Leeta were seated.

“You’re lucky you don’t have to go into a two-week quarantine,” Julian said as he went about checking boxes and filling in forms on the PADDs which held their medical charts. “That’s what we used to do on Earth any time someone got back from space.”

“Lucky we’re not on Earth then,” Quark said.

“Oh, that was centuries ago,” Julian said, grinning. “Now, the procedure’s much like it usually is here. No quarantine. No decon. But, unfortunately, the system’s down. Only station residents are allowed back on for the time being, and you’re all required to do this. Just as—”

“A precautionary measure,” Quark said. “I know. You’ve told me a dozen times now.”

He scooped out a handful of the gel and passed the tub to Leeta, who sniffed it and immediately grimaced.

“This smells terrible,” she said.

“Yes, I apologize for that,” Julian said. “But I followed the formula in the database exactly. It’s just supposed to be like that.”

Reluctantly, she scooped some out, too, and started to spread it over her arms as she tried hard not to breathe through her nose.

“It’s not that bad,” Rom said. “I kinda like it.”

“Yeah, it’s actually kind of nice,” Nog said.

Julian smiled. “Alright, you four. I’ll be back to check on you in about four hours.”

Which prompted them all to shout some variation of, “What? Four hours?”

But Julian was already gone before they could protest further.

He went about his day, showing other returning residents to decontamination chambers or treating scraped knees and bruised elbows. All in all, it was a pretty slow day aside from the decon issues. Around lunchtime, things slowed down and he was able to read the first bit of the book Garak had given him at lunch.

A little while later, the timer went off, and he set his book down and headed back toward the chamber where he had left Quark and his family.

“Alright, everyone,” he said, but when he peered in the little window, he saw that they had fallen asleep.

Leeta was leaning against the side of the bench, with Rom curled up against her side. Nog’s head was in her lap, and Quark was curled up beside his brother, hugging his legs. Julian smiled. He hated having to wake them, but he wasn’t sure if it was safe or not for them to stay in the chamber longer than the instructions had recommended.

“Rise and shine, sleeping beauties,” he said as he unlatched the door and pulled it open with a loud metallic creak.

“It’s over?” Leeta asked. “We can come out?”

“Your four hours are up,” Julian said.

“Good,” Quark said, standing slowly.

“Oh, it wasn’t that bad, was it?” Julian asked with a wide grin.

“To tell you the truth, it wasn’t,” Quark said. “It was actually kind of soothing.”

“Good,” Julian said. “I’d hate to have made you uncomfortable for four hours.”

“I wonder if I could program a holo-simulation of this chamber,” Quark mused, yawning as he stepped past Julian and made his way back to the little side room where they had left their clothes.

“Thank you, Julian,” Leeta said, patting him on the shoulder, and she and Rom followed after Quark.

“Dr. Bashir?” Nog said, pausing in the doorway.

“Yes, Nog?”

“Is that room supposed to make you tired?”

“I don’t know,” Julian said. “There’s nothing in the medical database about that, but it does say that it was sometimes considered relaxing, so perhaps that could account for all of you falling asleep in there, especially considering you had just been on a long journey back from Ferenginar.”

“Okay,” Nog said, nodding before heading toward the room the rest of his family had gone into.

Julian wasn’t quite certain if Nog had really paid attention to what he told him. It didn’t matter, really. He shook his head, still smiling as he made his way back to his desk and Garak’s book.


End file.
